Thursday, April 21, 2011

3:59 PM

The campaigns of JoAnne Kloppenburg and David Prosser today agreed to a hand recount in parts of 31 counties to avoid having to erase data on the original Election Day returns now stored on voting machines.

Some municipalities in those counties rely on older technology that would require the original vote totals to be erased before the recount could begin. The deal includes 34 municipalities in Waukesha County. For the rest of the state, a machine recount will be used.

Both sides said they supported the deal, and Dane Co. Judge Richard Neiss said the stipulation was "absolutely the best way to go."

Prosser campaign director Brian Nemoir said the deal will speed up confirming the justice's victory.

"This is the best resolution because we believe moving this along as quickly as possible is the best thing for the state because it costs less and will reaffirm the results of the election two weeks ago," Nemoir said.

Added Kloppenburg campaign manager Melissa Mulliken: "We're pleased that the issue was resolved so quickly and pleased with an outcome that ensures all of the data is preserved."

Assistant AG Steven Means said the Department of Justice believed the data should be erased with verification by both parties before an electronic recount, arguing that lawmakers had established a high threshold for hand recounts when it enacted electronic voting. But he said DOJ would not object to the judge's decision.